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How E-Commerce Is Changing The CSR: |
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Wednesday, 21 November 2007 |
By Craig L. Press, President, Profectus, Inc. (USA).
The volume of orders customers submit over the web is significantly increasing. Improved integration between the Internet and MIS systems is automating many of the everyday tasks of customer service representatives.
 In a traditional order workflow, the customer sends the order specifications to the customer service representative (CSR) via courier, fax, email, or FTP. Often the customer does not provide all of the information needed to produce the job. When this occurs, the CSR or sales representative must contact the customer to get the missing information. The CSR then keys this information into the business-management system order-entry module and produces a job ticket.
In an E-Commerce strategy, printers provide their customers with a
web-enabled order form that the customers complete over the Internet.
The printer designs the order form to guide the customer through the
necessary job information using prompts, pull-down option lists, check
boxes, and required fields. The customer enters the order information
over the web, attaches the copy files, and submits it to the printer.
After the customer sends the order information, the integrated
E-Commerce system automatically places it into the order queue. Once
the order is received, several different E-Commerce workflows may
occur, depending on the organization, the customer, and the type of
printing produced. In a JDF environment, Internet orders placed by the
customer can be automatically transmitted directly to digital prepress
equipment or presses without any CSR interaction. While in other
environments, the CSR may review and approve the new order in the
computer before releasing the order into the business-management system.
Customers will become more empowered to place, track, and manage their
orders with lesser assistance from the printer. Rather than passing
information from the customer to the CSR and back to the customer, the
customer is be able to resolve inquiries at the click of a button;
24/7. Many of the CSR's daily responsibilities are shifting to the
hands of the customer. As these tasks transfer to the customer,
customer service representatives will be faced with greater challenges.
The CSR will become more of a technical sales consultant. Their
responsibility will include advising customers on how to properly
prepare files, troubleshooting jobs that don't advance into the JDF
workflow, and preserving personal relationships with customers through
consultative services.
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